Pride of Dubai Still Rules

Pride Of Dubai retains his spot at the top of the Australian General Sires List after the favourite Buckets Ridge (4g Pride of Dubai x Reveille, by High Chaparral) captured Sunday’s Listed XXXX Northam Cup (1600m) to become his fifth Australian stakes-winner this season.

Ridden by Willie Pike for Grant and Alana Williams, Buckets Ridge came from near the tail of the 14-horse field, turning for home. The 4-year-old son of Pride Of Dubai came widest of all with a long sustained run to win by half a length.

The winner of the Listed Melvista Stakes in March and runner-up in the Group II WATC Derby in April, Buckets Ridge, will set an ambitious agenda this summer, which could take in the Group I WATC Railway Stakes and Group II WATC Perth Cup.

“He is fast enough to run a good mile, and he has a good motor,” Alana Williams said.

“It speaks of his ability and adaptability that he overcame the track bias today.”

With his second stakes win, Buckets Ridge advances his record to five wins and a second from 13 starts with earnings of $347,795.

A $75,000 Magic Millions Perth purchase for Neil Henchie from the Amelia Park Racing and Breeding draft, Buckets Ridge is the first foal of Reveille, a four-time winning High Chaparral (IRE) half-sister to stakes-placed La Farola from stakes-placed Europa Point.

Reveille traces back to the foundation mare Marooned Lady, the dam of Champion 3YO Filly Special Harmony, the granddam of $8.4million earning multiple Group I winner Fangirl, and Group II winners King Canute and Redwoldt.